Tag Archives: universal jurisdiction

United Kingdom: Parliament Amends ‘Universal Jurisdiction’ Law

2011-09-15, London, United Kingdom.  The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 that amended several acts including the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980 received Royal Assent and became law. Under the amendment,  judges hearing criminal complaints filed by private parties can no longer issue warrants without the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions. Previously, a magistrate court judge could issue a [...]
Posted in Domestic Courts | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments closed

France: Bazaramba: Accused Sentenced for Inciting Genocide

2010-06-11, Porvoo, Finland. The Eastern Uusimaa District Court in Porvoo, Finland, convicted Francois Bazaramba, 59, a former  Rwandan pastor, for inciting genocide and sentenced him to life imprisonment. The Court found that Mr. Bazaramba incited hatred and anger towards Tutsis, forced them to leave their houses and ordered others to burn the houses down. The charges are related [...]
Posted in Domestic Courts | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments closed

Netherlands to Extend Its Universal Jurisdiction Law to 1970

2010-05-22, The Hague, The Netherlands. The Dutch Cabinet approved a bill, proposed by Justice Minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin, to extend the reach of the universal jurisdiction laws to 24 October 1970 (from current 1 October 2003). The law will allow the government to prosecute aliens, who are accused of committing genocide and/or war crimes outside [...]
Posted in Domestic Courts | Also tagged , , , , , , , | Comments closed

Spain: Garzon Requests Transfer to ICC

2010-05-11, Madrid, Spain. Judge Garzon is seeking a 7-month transfer to the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, to work as an outside consultant. The General Council of the Judiciary is currently considering the request to allow the transfer. In March 2010, Justice Garzon was indicted for knowingly overreaching his jurisdiction, when he [...]
Posted in Domestic Courts | Also tagged , , , , , | Comments closed

Spain: Matar: Supreme Court Upholds the Decision to Close the Investigation

2010-04-13, Madrid, Spain. The Spanish Supreme Court upheld the decision of the National Court of 30 June 2009, closing the investigation into Al Daraj attack of June 2002, when the IDF dropped a bomb that killed Salah Shehade together with his bodyguards and 14 civilians. Mr. Shehade was a suspected leader of the Izzidin al-Qassam Brigade, [...]
Posted in Domestic Courts | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments closed

Spain: Supreme Court Allows the Prosecution of the Judge Who Indicted Pinochet in 1998

2010-03-25, Madrid, Spain. The Supreme Court of Spain denied Judge Garzon’s appeal of the decision to investigate him for abuse of process. Judge Garzon is persecuted for initiating an investigation into the crimes committed by Gen. Francisco Franco’s supporters during the Spanish Civil War 1936-39. The abuse of process allegations are investigated by Judge Luciano [...]
Posted in Domestic Courts | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments closed

Netherlands: Mpambara: Dutch Judge Holds an Appeal Hearing in Rwanda

2010-03-23, Kigali, Rwanda. Since March 15th, a Dutch judge heard from 30 witnesses at the hearings held in Kigali. In March 2009, Joseph Mpambara, arrested in the Netherlands in 2006, was sentenced by a Dutch court to 20 years’ imprisonment for ordering torture and killing of two women and their children during the 1994 genocide. The [...]
Posted in Domestic Courts | Also tagged , | Comments closed

UK: Brown to Limit Universal Jurisdiction Laws

2004-03-04, London, UK. British PM threatened to limit the universal jurisdiction laws because they are ”exploited by politically-motivated organisations or individuals who set out only to grab headlines knowing their case has no realistic chance of a successful prosecution” and prevents some foreign officials from travelling to the UK.  Brown wants to raise the evidentiary standard [...]
Posted in Domestic Courts | Also tagged , , , , , | Comments closed
Get Adobe Flash player